Skied this in a 180 last week in Jackson and all I can say is GODDAMN! I skied the new stuff from Head, DB, K2, Volkl, Blizzard and Atomic and these skis impressed me the most. This is not to say they are a great pow ski or could be a one-ski quiver, but they are pretty damn fun. The thing is they turn like they are on rails. I haven't made high speed GS turns that laid out since I first rode on shaped ski back in the day. I was bombing the "double blue" groomers at Jackson and these skis were solid. Obviously at super high speed they could've used a bit more length, but honestly I felt more stable on these than the Atomic M:EX in a 185. I was considering getting a "groomer ski" since I do enjoy bombing groomers when the snow elsewhere is shit. I was thinking about a Bigstix 7.6 or Head IM 85 or Solly Xtra Hot, but honestly I think the AR5 is just as good or better. I haven't been this excited about a ski since I got my first fat skis (solly supermtns). Armada builds the AR5 like a worldcup GS ski, super good materials and construction. The AR5 is not to be confused with the Tanner Hall pro model, which is detuned underfoot for rails and is softer in the tip and tail. It's got the same basic dimensions as a 1080. If you're thinking of a park/groomer ski I would check these out.
In other Armada news the new ANT is really nice too. It's a 190 and is fucking huge with little sidecut. It's got lowpro tip and tail for hauling ass in pow. I thought turning this ski on groomer would be like turning an aircraft carrier, but they are surprisingly versitle. Really easy to throw the tail out at speed to slow down. They are still huge though. I threw them fakie off a little bump and they rotate like the millenium falcon landing. Great ski as well.
